Many types of deflection rollers used in guiding of webs, whether used in printing machinery or other types of machinery, utilize rollers which are formed as hollow cylindrical elements, retained on fixed shafts. Rollers of this type are used, for example, in rotary printing presses. In dependence on the wrap angle of the web, the webs will apply tension on the roller, in the direction of a bisecting center line through the wrap angle of the web. This force results in a torque which causes bending of the deflection roller. This bending force is stronger in the center of the roller than at the ends. Due to this bend-through, the web is stretched more at the edges than in the center. Danger of tearing at the edges results and, as the web is passed around the roller, it has the tendency to form folds or creases. Good printing results, however, require a smooth run of printing substrate webs over deflection rollers, without creases or overlaps.